The Freedom Song
Prolouge Yowls of panic filled the air as BrokenClan raided the LightningClan camp. A blue-gray tom with white paws was inside the nursery, protecting a pregnant cream she-cat. "Rippleclaw, what are we going to do?" asked the she-cat in panic. Her belly was big and round, signifying she was going to give birth any day now. The blue-gray tom kept a close eye on the entrance to the nursery, but spoke to his mate in a soft, yet wobbly, voice. "Willowfern, we'll be OK. I promise nothing will happen to you and our unborn kits." as he spoke those words to his pregnant mate, Rippleclaw was thinking fast. What ''am ''I going to do? ''he asked himself. Just then, a huge black tom broke into the nursery, containing only Willowfern and Rippleclaw. The black tom grinned evily. His teeth coated in blood. "Rippleclaw, I'm afraid we'll have to take you oh-so-preciouse mate with us." meowed the black tom. Rippleclaw hissed and spat in rage. His neck fur bristled. His claws were unsheathed. "You will do nothing of the sort, Blackstar!" Rippleclaw jumped onto Blackstar. Blackstar quickly dodged the attack. Rippleclaw fell to the ground, but quickly obtained his balance once again. When Rippleclaw got up, Blackstar was already at his side. The BrokenClan leader hit Rippleclaw's head with a massive paw, knocking Rippleclaw back down to the ground. Blackstar snorted with pleasure, his icey blue eyes glimmered in amusement. "I knew this Clan was weak and pathetic from the start! But, we do need hostages to keep food coming. After all, it is leaf-bare, and there isn't any food left in our side of the Forest." Rippleclaw half unconscious, stood back up on his feet. "Rippleclaw, watch out!" Before, Rippleclaw knew it, he recieved another blow to the head. This time, he did fall and close his eyes. The sounds of cats crying in pain, and the sound of his mate yowling in fear, all went dead quite. Chapter One ~ A Fallen Warrior I closed my eyes as I recieved fatal blows to my flank, head, and chest by the BrokenClan deputy, Tigerfang. I had tried to escape earlier, with my mate, Willowfern. She was in the corner of the prisinors den, or the dirt place, shivering in fear. Just a moon ago, my clan LightningClan had been attacked by BrokenClan. The cruelest most fox-hearted clan in the history of clans. They had taken many of my friends and family hostage. As Tigerfang hit my head, I coughed up some blood. I fell, unable to get back up. My injuries were to seriouse and painful to endure. I dragged myself away from Tigerfang. I knew the punishment was over because the dark tabby had left the dirt place. "Rippleclaw, are you OK?" asked Willowfern when I reached the corner. I forced myself to sit up and look straight into her beautiful sky blue eyes, but I couldn't. The pain of even lifting my head was to much to bear. "I'm fine, Willowfern, don't worry." I said as I stared straight at the wall of the dirt place. The taste of blood was disgusting. I looked to my side. The only thing I could see was Willowfern's cream paws and large, round belly. I smiled slightly, knowing I was to become a father any second. My smile disappeared as I remembered I was in the BrokenClan dirt place, not the warm LightningClan nursery. I stream of blood trickled down my forhead. Willowfern lowered her head to my sight level. The sky blue eyes I was longing to see, were now in my sight. "Don't lie to me! I'll go get Rowenstep." my mate said quitely while staring at the gaurd at the dirt place entrance. Rowenstep was a kind, long-haired siamese. He was BrokenClan's medicine cat and was angry his clan was keeping hostages from ''all the clans. Rowenstep suggested we make a small hole in the wall of the dirt place. We were right next to the medicine cat den and Rowenstep also had a hole in the side of the wall facing us. We could call him anytime we needed a check up. I was glad we had a friend among the evil clan. Everyone there was evil, right down to the kits. Just a few days ago my friend, Stormwhisker, another hostage was beaten up by a fairly strong kit. The guards were looking for amusement, so they decided to get a kit from the nursery, and watch it beat one of us up. The kit had clawed one Stormwhisker's eyes, eventually leading to blindness. I felt a soft poke in the back. I gritted me teeth as I felt pain surge through me. I turned around to see my sister Creekshade, a beautiful light brown she-cat. "You do know that hurts, right?" I mewed crossly. Creekshade flattened her ears. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." her warm light green eyes were filled with regret and sadness. I sighed. "That's okay. Just don't do it again." I turned back. I sighed. I was one of the strongest LightningClan cats, not to brag, but I was. My pride and strength, though, had been washed away the day of the raid. I couldn't protect my mate. I'm the cause and the reason why my mate was to bear my kits in a place where they could be easily killed. I was a fallen warrior. Chapter Two ~ Kits and Trouble As I stared at the wall where my mate was, I forced myself to stand up, trying to ignor the pain that surged through me. I gritted my teeth hard. I sat up straight, a trickle pf blood fell from my flank to my paw. I looked down. My once white paws were now covered in scarlett blood. Creekshade appeared next to me, sitting in my same position. She looked at my flank and began to lick the large gash. Again, I gritted my teeth as I felt a sharp pain. After a few minutes, Willowfern came towards me and Creekshade. "Rowanstep says he'll be here any second." my mate told us while looking at my flank. "And it's a good thing, too." she added. Just then, Willowfern's sky blue eyes widened and she fell to the ground. My blue eyes widened as well. "Willowfern! Willowfern, what's wrong?!" I went into instant panic. The sight of my mate convulsing on the floor was horrifing. "Rippleclaw, she's going through labor!" Creekshade cried. I turned towards her nodding. It was as if StarClan were watching us from above, because in that very moment, Rowanstep appeared. Creekshade looked straight at him. "Rowanstep, Willowfern is giving birth!" Rowanstep came running towards us. A sea of cats began to gather around me, Rowanstep, and Willowfern. In the crowd, I could se my SageClan friend, Dapplewing, staring at Willowfern. Rowanstep began to calm Willowfern down, She was panicing as well. "Willowfern, I need you to come down. Think about the kits! Calm down, and breathe in." Rowanstep instructed my mate. She nodded and began to do what was instructed for her. As Willowfern was calmly breathing, her body cunvulsed again and a cream kit with a speckled back popped onto the ground. "Rippleclaw, lick that kit!" cried Rowanstep. I began to franticly lick my son, yes he was a male. The kit began to breathe. His cream pelt looked exactly like Willowfern's, only he had a speckled back. "Look! She's cunvulsing again!" cried a WaveClan friend, Beetlepelt. I looked up and straight at Willowfern. Another kit popped out. This time, it was a blue-gray kit. "A tom! Lick!" cried Rowanstep. Creekshade quickly grabbed the kit and began to lick. My son's blue-gray flank began to gently rise and descend. Willowfern began to push hard. Another kit appeared. It was a light-brown tabby. "A she-cat!" cried Dapplewing, a tortoiseshell she-cat. She lay down and licked the little kit. Willowfern pushed one more time, and another kit popped out. It was a small siamese. "It's another she-cat, lick!" Stormwhisker appeared and licked the kit. I smiled, and carried my son to his mother's belly. The cats who licked the other kits did the same. When they were all near my mate's belly, Willowfern began to lick them clean. The kits didn't mind, and began to suckle. Willowfern looked up at me. "Rippleclaw, your a father!" I guess I couldn't help it. I began to jump around the prisinors den. I stopped shortly afterwards because of my stomach. It was growling like crazy. I was very hungry, BrokenClan didn't feed us for long periods of time. The only cat that smuggled a peice of meat into the prisinors den was Rowenstep. I could describe the kind medicine cat as our gaurdian angel. Everytime Blackstar were to do something bad to us, he would always try to slip us out of the situation. I jumped back to Willowfern and my kits. The sea of cats began to congratulate us both, and say how lovely the kits looked. Just then, I heard pawsteps coming from behind me. I turned around, as did the other cats, and there, in the entrance, stood Tigerfang and Blackstar. "Finally, something to kill." smirked Tigerfang. The huge dark tabby unsheathed his claws. Chapter Three ~ Death in a Prison I growled and unsheathed my claws. I stood between Tigerfang, Willowfern, and my newborn kits. The group of hostages began to form a protective barrier around them just in case. Tigerfang laughed "So pathetic! You couldn't even defend your mate the day of the raid, why try again with your kits when you know I'll obviously beat you?" I hissed at the deputy. "You won't beat me! I will protect my family till the very end!" "So, you mean you will protect them till now? Because I'm going to end your life!" Tigerfang sprinted towards me. His un-naturaly long claws sliced the air with every sprint. I panicked a little, knowing Tigerfang, the strong, well fed, and muscular tabby could easily beat a scrawny, hungry, and weak me. I closed my eyes, ready to feel the claws slice through my skin, and my blood to spill. Suddenly, I felt something break into me. A surge of energy and power filled me. It's as if StarClan turned me from a weak hostage, to a powerful warrior, ready to defend his family. I opened my eyes and knocked into Tigerfang, knocking the deputy over. Tigerfang's amber eyes widened. I pinned him to the ground, my claws pinching his throat. With my other paw, I teared into Tigerfang's skin. His blood began to form a pool around him. I slashed at his face. Tigerfang's eye was hit. The dark tabby tried to fight me, but he got weaker and weaker as he slowly died because of massive blood loss. He raised a paw and threw it back down on my ear. His claw got caught in my skin, ripping a piece of my ear and leaving a "V" shape. I yowled in pain and sunk my claws into his ice-cold eart. Wait, no, he had no heart. Just an empty space. Tigerfang died that moment. The energy and power left. I felt weak again. I began to breathe heavily while looking down at what I've done. I couldn't resist; I looked up at Blackstar. His icy blue eyes were widened in suprise and confusion. "B-but how?! Tigerfang overpowered you!" Blackstar took one last look at his dead deputy, and left. Two gaurds right behind him. My heaving breathing stopped and I made my way to the hostages. My whole way there I stared at my paws now covered in blood. Tigerfang's blood. "Rippleclaw, what happened to you?" asked Stormwhisker. I stood next to Willowfern and our suckling kits. I fell on my haunches and began to breathe heavily. "I don't know, it's like something deep down inside me snapped all of a sudden." Chapter Four ~ The Singing Flowers (One moon later) A moon later, it was the night of the Gathering. I imagined myself and my leader, Falconstar, walking side-by-side on the way to Fourtrees. Falconstar and I were close friends and he would always choose me to go to Gatherings. Willowfern licked her... our kits clean. They had their eyes opened and were now happily running around the dirt place. We had decided to name three days after their birth. The cream tom was called Pebblekit. The little siamese was called Rowenkit, in honor of Rowenstep. The tabby she-cat was Maplekit and the blue-gray one was Bluekit. Willowfern and I were proud parents. Maplekit had Willowfern's sky-blue eyes. Rowenkit had green eyes. Pebblekit had blue eyes and Bluekit had amber eyes. When Tigerfang died a moon ago, Blackstar had chosen Bonecrust as his new deputy. Bonecrust was just as cruel as Tigerfang, only he was moreblood-hungry. He often wanted to pick a fight and chose me to fight him. But in the end, I would beat him or I would on my lucky days. But Bonecrust was softer on kits then Tigerfang was. Whenever one of my kits came running towards him (they didn't know they were hostages), he softly shook them off without clawing any of them. But I kept my eye on them. Pebblekit came running towards me. "Daddy, can we go outside today? I'm bored always playing here!" I sighed softly. My kits didn't know they were hostages and could die at anytime. "No, Pebblekit, we-" "We're going outside today!" I looked up and stared straight into the eyes of the cat that cut me off. It was Rowenstep. His green eyes flickered with delight. "Blackstar said I can take you to Fourtrees before the Gathering!" Rowenstep flicked his tail towards us. The hostages began to follow him. I gasped. After now three moons of being in a stinky, foul-smelling, dirt place, we were finally going to taste fresh air. Pebblekit looked up at me. His blue eyes lit up with excitment. "Come on, Rippleclaw, we don't want to miss a thing!" with that, Pebblekit bolted away towards Rowenstep. Rowenkit, Maplekit, and Bluekit came over to me. "Dad, are we really going outside?" asked Maplekit I nodded in astonishment. "Y-yes." My kits' eyes lit up and dashed behind Pebblekit. I felt a soft tail touch my back. I looked back to see Willowfern. "Come on, we don't want our kits getting lost." she mewed. I nodded and we both walked together towards our kits, whom were waiting at the entrance to camp. "We have to wait for Shadowheart and Clawstrike." Rowenstep explained to us. I nodded and sat down next to my mate and kits. Not long after, our two gaurds appeared. "Come on, let's go." mewed Shadowheart. The she-cat went in front of the group and led the way. ---- When we reached Fourtrees, the wind began to blow hard. I tasted the air and smelled fresh mouse coming from LightningClan territory. "Wow! This amazing!" squealed Rownekit. "Well, go play!" Willowfern pushed her kits towards the clearing. I noticed patches of flowers were growing at the edge of each territory. I walked over to a group with Willowfern at my side. "Kits, stay close!" I yowled. My kits began to come closer and closer to us, but kept playing. When I reached the beautiful masterpieces of the Earth, I began to smell them like crazy. The smell of freedom and happiness. I let out a big breathe and looked at Willowfern. She was also smelling the flowers. I smiled and looked back at the flowers. They suddenly began to shake softly. There was no wind, though. "Huh?" I looked closly at the flowers. They were still shaking. I suddenly began to hear a beautiful melody coming from them, then, I heard a song being sung. Chiro, chiro, you be free.... it's a possibility Chiro, chiro, run to me... always be free with me I gasped in astonishment. It was if these flowers were singing. I looked at Willowfern, wondering if she heard it. The same astonishment I had filled up in her eyes. She looked at me. I called my kits. "Pebblekit, Rowenkit, Maplekit, Bluekit! Come here!" My kits instantly appeared the same astonishment filled there expression. I looked around the whole clearing. It was as if every cat there heard it. All but Shadowheart and Clawstrike. "What are you idiots doing?! Why are you so suprised all of a sudden?!" yowled Clawstrike. Rowenstep was shaking with fear. "I-it's true. It's r-really t-true!" I felt a soft poke on my leg. "Daddy, can flowers sing? Because I heard some of them." mewed Bluekit. I didn't do anything. I didn't know what to say. I was lost for words. Flowers singing? Am I going mad? Flowers don't sing.... can they? ''My thoughts flew around my head Chapter Five ~ The Legend Back at the dirt place, the song the flowers sung kept ringing in my ears. It was beautiful and sad at the same time. I couldn't understand it, though and why did Rownestep hear it but not the other BrokenClan cats. Wierd. I trotted towards the hole in the wall. "Rowenstep!" I called. "Yes?" answered a shaky voice. "Can you come over? I need to talk to you." After that, it was silent and Rowenstep appeared in the dirt place. "What is it, Rippleclaw?" he asked me as he dodged the mounds of dirt. "Why did you act all scared when you heard..." I looked around and whispered."the singing flowers?" Rowenstep sighed and looked at me with a it's-no-use face. His bushy cream and brown tipped tail curled around his paws as he sat down. "There is a legend, a legend which has been told for over 10 decades." I nodded and paid attention as much as I could. The legend. ''The ''legend, sounded important. "It is said that when you hear a song sung by flowers, you will be freed of all evil. But, you either be freed with death, or be freed by fighting for it. It is strange that I heard it though." "You are like a prisoner in this camp, Rowenstep. That's why you heard it." Rowenstep nodded. His green eyes burning with worry. "But I don't know if.... never mind." "ROWENSTEP!" called a booming voice in the clearing. Rowenstep flinched and said, " I have to go. Whoever is calling me, doesn't sound too happy." Rowenstep got up and slowly walked out of the prisinor's den. Chapter Six ~ Savage Murder (Rowenstep) I padded out of the prisoner's den. I looked around my camp, searching for the cat who had called me. Bonecrust was at the edge of Blackstar's den. "Blackstar is fairly unpleased with you, Rowenstep. He needs you inside." growled Bonecrust. Bonecrust's black and white fur bristled. I relunctantly walked inside. The smell of anger and disapointment came to me in waves. I shuddered. Blackstar was sitting at the back of the den. "Rowenstep, I've had you as my medicine cat four many moons now. I've trusted you all the time. But now, I see you betrayed me. And the only way to deal with cats that betray me is very well known. I think you know, right, Rowenstep." His blue eyes were murderouse. "Y-you're not going to kill me, are you?" I stammered. I unsheathed my claws incase he lunged at me. "Well, are you my medicine cat?" "Yes." "Then the answer is yes." Blackstar lunged at me and pinned me to the ground. His paws were pinning my throat. I felt his claws slide out and cut my flesh. I began to cough and blood poured out of my throat. I tried franticly to push him out, but he was larger than me. I didn't even know battle moves to top that. I saw his belly was exposed and clawed it with my hind claws. Blackstar yowled and began to hiss. He slashed my throat oped and turned quickly and bit my neck. I coughed up some more blood and fell. I couldn't take it any longer. "Just kill me." I croaked. "No. I want you to die slowly. Painfully." growled Blackstar. His paws were specked with my blood. My breathe came in gasps and I suddenly saw a bright light. I followed it. As I entered, I saw a great big meadow with flowers and butterflies and prey hopping or running around. A starry shape suddenly appeared. It was my mentor, Littlestorm! "Littlestorm!" I mewed. "Welcome to StarClan, Rowenstep." she greeted. I bowed. I knew the minute I saw the light. I looked down through the earth. I saw my body rapidly depositing blood. I was dead. Blackstar was licking his paws. I shrugged. I knew that I was freed by evil. The singing flowers myth was real. And I was happy. Chapter Seven ~ Revenge "No!" I wailed as Blackstar told me Rowenstep was dead. "This can't be!" I croaked. Blackstar let out an evil chuckle. "Better believe it, fluffbrain! Your preciouse friend is in StarClan!" Blackstar lashed out and clawed my nose. I flinched back and the air began to stink of blood. With one last chuckle, Blackstar padded confidently out of the dirtplace. "What are we going to do, Rippleclaw?" asked Willowfern from behid me. I turned to see my mate with wide eyes. Pebblekit, Maplekit, Rowenkit, and Bluekit were huddled close to her. "What are we going to do with no medicine cat?" rasped Willowfern "It's alright, Willowfern, I have experience with medicine. I trained as a medicine cat apprentice for a good couple of moons." mewed Stormwhisker, padding up to me. Willowfern sighed but stank of fear and worry. "It's alright." Stormwhisker reapeated. "But what are we going to do about the herbs? We can't just leave the den! The gaurds are ''always here!" paniced Willowfern. Dapplewing padded up to her and rested her tail on her shoulders. "Have faith. StarClan won't let us all die, would they?" "Look what they did to Rowenstep!" snapped Willowfern. "StarClan knows who will die next! What if one of my kits are next?" "Don't say that kind of mouse-dung." I mewed softly, although my heart was pounding hard and rapidly. What if the kits did die? The myth of the singing flowers never said one can not escape without dying. "We must have faith." mewed Stormwhisker firmly. Willowfern hissed with impatience and led the kits away from Dapplewing, Stormwhisker, and me. We all stood quite for more than a couple of heartbeats, when a light set off in my head. "Hey," I mewed. "I... I think I've got a plan!" -- "Alright, does everyone know what it is they must do?" I demanded. All the hostages nodded. Everyone's claws were unsheathed and their eyes were burning with the thought of getting revenge on the BrokenClan cats. Tonight was the night I had planned out an attack. "May StarClan light our paths and may we avenge Rowenstep's death!" murmmers of agreement rippled through the group of cats. "Let's head out!" I ordered. Stormwhisker padded next to me. Dapplewing was walking next to Willowfern at the head of the group. She was to lead Willowfern and the rest of the cats who were unable to fight, away from the battle. Beetlepelt and Creekshade walked behind Stormwhisker and I. I ran ahead and stood at the entrance. "What the-" Shadowheart, who was on gaurd with another BrokenClan cat, was cut off as I batted her head. Stormwhisker silently leaped onto the other cat and Shadowheart and her clanmate both fell silent. The whole Clan was asleep. "Hostages, attack!" Chapter Eight ~ Battle for Freedom The camp was filled with screeches and cries. Death bounded in and took several of my cats. I launched myself at a dark tabby tom . His amber eyes were wild and his paws were already soaked with blood. I yowled and slashed at his face, dodging when he tried to claw me. I turned on my back and slid across the ground, under his belly. I clawed the soft spot and quickly slid back out like a snake. The tom fell, wounded and defeated. I grinned and turned to look for another cat, when I saw her. My sister, being mauled by the retched BrokenClan deputy. Her stomach was wide open, and her throat slit. Bonecrust stood above her, yowling his victory. Not on my part. This was the last straw. I bolted up to the deputy and knocked the black and white tom down. Balanced now, Bonecrust got up and stared at me in the eye. "You idiot dirt cat! You're next!" He hollered, barely audible through the fighting. The ground was staining with blood and bodies dotted the camp. I saw death lingering in the eyes of Bonecrust. For sure my freedom was death. Bonecrust launched himself at me, but I side-stepped and he landed face-first in a puddle. The deputy shot up and stared at me again. He jumped and pinned me to the blood-stained ground. I tried to wiggle free, but it was no use. I tried to accept my fate, when a spark of energy leaped inside of me. Bonecrust was about to make the killing bite, when I reached up and slit his throat. His eyes widened, and his energy poured out of him. Frightened, I pushed Bonecrust off of me. I couldn't believe what I had just done... Blood trickled dowm my head and my ears stung. I lifted a paw and felt it, realizing I had a torn ear. Stormwhisker was cornered by two cats, both big and muscular. I yowled and ran towards my friend. I jumped up onto a cat's back and clawed franticly. I felt my claws meet flesh and tore away. My face was beginning to speck with blood when I was knocked over. The cat had flipped over. The cat, a she-cat, clawed my cheek and tried to pin me, but I slithered away. Backing away and launching myself at her, I bit her shoulder. She yowled in pain and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Stormwhisker had the other cat by the scruff. Both our victims were screaming in pain. I let go of the she-cat and she bolted out of camp. My heart stopped and I suddenly couldn't hear. I saw Blackstar leaving camp, through the trail I had sent Willowfern, the kits, and Dapplewing. He was going after them. I shot through the dying cats and pained cries, intent on reaching my mate and offspring before this evil demon got to them. A brack scraped my flank but I didn't care. I heard a squeak and a cry. My heart raced, the blood in my ears roared. Something was happening. I got there and saw Dapplewing crouched low, ears flattened. Maplkit, Rowenkit, and Bluekit were all huddled behind her. Pebblekit wasn't there. I stared at Blackstar's back and looked down at his paws. There, lying cold and lifeless, were the bodies of my precious mate and kit. "You monster," I growled through clenched teeth. Blackstar gasped and whirled around to face me. "Oh, good. You made it just a second late, Rippleclaw. You could have watched your mate die." He snarled. His icy-blue eyes narrowed. "They have no quarrel with you, Blackstar. It's me you want, I started all of this." I said, barely getting the words out of my mouth. My eyes grew puffy and my heart was in my throat. "Fine," Blackstar yowled and threw himself on top of me. We clawed at each other. I flashed his nose but he seemed to not care. Fur flew around us, covering us somehow like a curtain. Blackstar scratched my eye, blinding me. I raked my claws through his chest and blood trickled down on me. I was blue-gray no more. Blackstar pinned me and I couldn't move. "Say you're last words dead cat." He snarled. I narrowed my eyes at him. I was so angry, yet happy that I was going to have peace again, when I saw Dapplewing getting closer and closer to Blackstar. Her long claws were unsheathed and her eyes lurked with murder. "Actually, I do have one more word: NOW!" "Wha--" Blackstar turned in time for Dapplewing to jump and dig her claws in Blackstar's throat. His body fell limp instantly and I got out as soon as I could. "Great job, Dapplewing," I praised, exhausted now. I couldn't see through my left eye and I stung all around. 'Let's get his body to camp to show everyone." I looked into her eyes with which lurked with all sorts of emotions. "We're going home." THE END Category:Fanfiction Category:Silversong's Fanfiction